Second Chances Reality: The Talk
by BlueRowley
Summary: When Harry starts developing feelings for girls, Severus feels the need to have the 'talk' with his lovestruck son. A one-shot in the Second Chances Reality Series when Harry is thirteen years old.


A one-shot that was just begging to be written! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter

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Severus Snape had just sent a Hogwarts house elf to fetch his thirteen-year-old son. He was livid. Minerva, Filius, Binns, and Aurora had come to Severus's office to talk to him about his son's declining grades, all wondering why Harry was suddenly struggling and forgetting to turn in his homework. Severus didn't know but he assured them that he would get to the bottom of it.

Harry's grades in Potions was fine, of course, but Harry was a smart boy and his grades were usually acceptable if not something to be proud of. For Severus to say, at least.

Severus waited patiently in his quarters, sitting in his favorite armchair, for his son to arrive. It shouldn't be long, Harry knew that when his father summoned him, the boy had five minutes to find his way down to their quarters before his father went out and dragged him the rest of the way there by his ear.

Harry walked into the quarters, a bit flushed from possibly running, and Severus scowled at him.

"Hey, Dad," Harry smiled. "You wanted to see me?"

"I did," Severus answered without returning the smile. "Have a seat."

Harry walked over to the couch and sat down tentatively, wondering what his father wanted to talk about.

"Did I do something wrong?" Harry asked, fiddling with the sleeves of his robe.

"I just spoke with several of the other professors," Severus explained, "and they all seemed very concerned for your grades. Professor McGonagall told me that your grade has dropped from an E to a P. I won't even mention your other classes. Care to explain this to me?"

Harry looked down at his shoes, taking more interest in the black and blue design than his father's frowning face.

"I'm waiting for a logical explanation, young man," Severus growled.

"I don't know," Harry shrugged.

"You don't know why your grades dropped?" Severus asked incredulously. The boy couldn't possibly have no clue why his grades were suddenly plummeting.

Harry shrugged again.

"Perhaps you need me to apply my ruler to your bottom to help you remember," Severus threatened.

"No, Dad," Harry's face burned red. "I guess I forgot to turn in a few homeworks and didn't do too well on the last few quizzes."

"And why might that be? Are you not studying enough for the quizzes? And why would you forget your homework, young man, that is unacceptable."

"I guess I've been distracted," Harry said, his red cheeks still flaming.

"Distracted," Severus repeated. "By what? It better not be quidditch because if it is, I am pulling you off the team until you get your grades back up."

"No!" Harry shook his head at his father. "Please, don't do that. It's not quidditch."

"Too much socializing with friends?"

"What? No! Not that either."

"Is it because I won't sign your permission slip for Hogsmeade? You know why I can't, Harry . . ."

"No, it's not that," Harry looked down, shuffling his feet on the carpet.

"Then enlighten me, Harry, what is it that has you distracted? Enough with this guessing game."

"Well, there's . . ." Whatever else Harry said was incoherent and nearly inaudible.

"Excuse me?" Severus leaned forward in his chair slightly. "Speak up and look at me when you talk."

Harry sighed and looked up at his father. "There's this girl."

A girl? Oh boy, so that's the problem. Severus fought against a smirk as he leaned back and lifted an eyebrow at his son.

"Go on," he encouraged.

"She's on the quidditch team," Harry explained. "She's in Ravenclaw. Remember that match?"

Severus nodded his head. He remembered the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match clearly. A trio of dementors had interrupted the game and Harry had fallen from the sky, nearly giving him a heart attack. Severus had been furious at the presence of the dementors and ranted to Dumbledore's about the safety of the students, more specifically his son. His son was talking again and Severus pulled himself out of his reverie.

"Well, when I first saw her, she was - well - pretty. And I got this weird feeling in my stomach. Now, whenever she passes me in the hall and smiles at me, my face feels like it's on fire."

Severus managed to keep an impassive face as his son spoke, hiding his amusement with the situation. His son's first crush. This would be interesting.

"I think she's a year above me," Harry said. "And I don't think she's even that into me, I think she's seeing someone else."

A sad look took over Harry's face. Severus felt sorry for his son. Unrequited love was hard, especially at his son's age.

"Don't look so down, son," Severus said, joining Harry on the couch and wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders. "You're going through your first crush, and it's alright if she doesn't return the affections. You can't win over every girl's heart. Besides you're still young, you'll be having a lot more of these experiences. I'm sure you'll meet a fine, young lady one day."

Harry looked a bit happier, but Severus realized that his son was reaching that stage in life. The drop in grades now made since, and he was sure Harry would pick them up with a little encouraging and possibly a threat thrown in there somewhere, maybe a grounding period. But more importantly, Severus would need to have that 'talk' with his son.

"Okay," Severus rubbed wearily at his eyes. Severus blew out a breath of air from his mouth and drummed his fingers on his knees. He thought this would be easier. He had it all planned for when Harry asked the question, but the boy never did. Now, it was imperative that they had this discussion.

"So, son," Severus began slowly, "I think you and I need to have a discussion . . ."

"What, right now?" Harry asked, giving his father a curious look. "I have class soon - transfiguration, I think - and homework to finish. I'll get it all done, Dad, I promise. I'll bring those grades up."

"That's good to hear," Severus said. "However, that's not what I want to talk about."

"Oh. Then what is it?"

"You see, Harry," Severus said, trying to think of the best way to go about this. "There comes a time . . . When a young man reaches a certain point in his life where he is ready to - uh - explore women and relationships . . ."

"Oh, no!" Harry jumped to his feet and started walking away. "No! No! No! We are not having this conversation."

Severus stood to his feet and quickly grabbed Harry's arm to keep him from leaving.

"Don't walk away from me, mister!" Severus snapped. "And this is important, whether you want to have this talk or not, and we are getting it done and over with today. Now."

"Dad, I don't need this talk - let go - this is so embarrassing."

"Embarrassing or not, it needs to be done." Severus tried to pull Harry back to the couch, ignoring the boy's once again red cheeks. Harry resisted being pulled to the couch, his heels digging into the carpet as his father pulled him forward.

"Uncle Remus already had this talk with me during my last lessons with him when I was ten and that was bad enough! Dad, please, I have class."

Harry was happy when his father quit dragging him to the couch.

"And did he explain the - uh - birds and the bees?"

Harry's entire face was now red, but the boy nearly whined "yes, full details."

"And you know about intimacy and boundaries? When a lady says 'no?' When to say 'no' yourself?"

"Yes, Dad, I got that. I know, I know!"

"STDs? Protection?"

"Dad!"

Severus raised an eyebrow as he waited for his son to answer.

"Yes, that too. Everything. Please, Dad, we don't need to have this conversation."

"Alright, alright," Severus finally let his son go and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he smirked at his son.

"As long as you know to keep your hands to yourself and your trousers zipped up. I don't want to become a grandfather any time soon. You're too young."

"Dad!"

"And I better not find you snogging a young girl in a closet anytime soon!"

"Dad! Stop!"

"Alright!" Severus smirked. Then his face turned into a frown. "But I'm serious."

"I know," Harry said. "I won't do any of that. Just stop talking about it. Merlin!"

"Well, now that that's out of the way, I expect you to get your hormones under control and get those grades back up to where you had them. Strive for higher, if you can."

"Yes, Dad. I have class, may I go?"

"Let me write you a note."

Severus quickly scribbled down a note for Minerva at the dining table and handed it to his son. "And remember what I said."

"Yes, Dad. Just don't bring it up again."

Harry turned to leave. Just as he walked out the door, Severus called to him.

"Rember, pants zipped up!"

"Dad!"

Severus smirked as he waited for his Harry's footsteps to fade. Then, he burst out laughing, dropping his head in his arms as he leaned on the table. He couldn't contain his laughter at the discomfort of his son and the overall conversation they just had.

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It's just a quick one. Hope you enjoyed it.


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